Making krumkake

Kris shoveling a rink

Our neighbors started plowing a rink on the lake. Kris is trying to upkeep and improve it.

Bread!

Bread!

Bread bakin 2

I'm using a heating pad to help the dough rise this year.

Bread baking

My office co-workers working hard

I'm enjoying a snow day and working from the home office. See how excited Luke and Chloe are to have me at home? Also note the pile of toys.

First ice house on the lake!

There were waves and no ice four days ago!

A win!

Earn the bird 5k

Hairball

Rocking out at the Medina Ballroom

This never gets old

Sunset in the back yard.

Remembering Slim

Remembering Slim

Remembering Slim

Here's his favorite post-dinner hang out spot. He especially liked how the sunset would reflect on the waves of the lake and sparkle on the ceiling.

RIP: Harley-4 "Slim"

Harley 4 or "Slim"
1996-2009

We lost our friend Slim today to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). He was one of the most talkative cats on the planet. Our house will be incredibly quiet without his constant chatter and meowing.

Car Replacement

Kris and I have started our search for a new car in case the Wagonqueen Family Truckster is not repairable. Here's one at Charity Buzz that I'd like to consider:

Deer!

Unfortunately, a deer decided to play tag with me last night. Score: Minivan 0, deer 0.

End of Summer Is Official: Dock Out

Humbug! The dreaded day finally came yesterday - the day to take out the dock.

Rockin out at First Avenue

Celebrating our 17th anniversary at First Avenue listening to Mat Kearney.

Blue Ribbon Results

I just received the scorecard, blue ribbon and $10 check for my winning entry at this year's fair! It was interesting to see how the judges scored the bread as well as reading additional comments. As you can see from the judge, my cinnamon-swirl hayfring had a delightful flavor!

Of course, with the good, I also got the bad. Here is the scoring for my crazy cake recipe. I don't know if it would ever score well since its flavor is so intense. It looks like they are looking for a more delicate flavor in their cakes.

I also entered another loaf of bread, basically the same thing as the cinnamon-swirl hafring, minus the cinnamon, and it didn't score within the top 25 entries. This is extremely interesting to me since both loaves came from the same batch of dough - I simply added the cinnamon swirl to one and not the other. I entered them in 2 different categories (white bread, and not otherwise specified) and that made all the difference!

09/09/09

Thanks to everyone who sent birthday wishes! It was an incredible day, not only for the numerological implications, but from the many e-mails, texts and phone calls!

Slingshot!

Here's the video from the Fair! Kris and Max ride the Slingshot!

The Olsons at the Fair

Reunited

I finally got to the Fair to see the Creative Activities Building and all the competition. It's pretty cool to be part of the history of the Fair. Next year: 2 blue ribbons!

Sports Updates from The MN State Fair

Here's our niece Grace, along with Kris, providing a sports update:


And here's our nephew Max (with me) doing the same:

Behind the scenes at the Fair

Here's a short clip on how the judging is conducted at the fair.

Blue Ribbon Bread

My cinnamon swirl bread took first place at the fair! Thanks to my Dad for taking the picture above! (My entry is the squat looking loaf with the blue ribbon in the center of the picture).

This is a fantastic culmination of 10+ years of work recreating and perfecting this recipe. I'm very excited that my family's bread recipe (called Hayfring, haefring, all-day bread, braided bread or Grandma's bread) has received some recognition. I am the fourth generation to make this bread, and it is a very special day for me to learn that my entry won a blue ribbon at the Fair.

Many thanks to all of my relatives who shared stories of Great Grandma Tessmer's or Grandma Kohnen's version of this bread. Collecting their stories and primary source documents of the recipe has been a critical and fun element of my bread-baking journey.

Of particular note is my Aunt Joyce's variant of the recipe in which she creates a spectacular dinner roll (served every year at Thanksgiving), and my cousin Betty's copy of Great Grandma's recipe, written when she was taught to make the bread by GG at age 13.

I also want to thank my bread mentor and friend Brent (a State Fair Blue Ribbon-winning baker and all around Renascence man) for all of his coaching and teaching over the years. His lessons helped me become the baker I am today.

I'm excited to have won this ribbon, but an even cooler event came from preparing for this competition. When dropping off some of my test loaves at my brother's house, my nephew (who consumes the majority of my bread rejects) told me that he wants to learn how to make this bread too, thereby carrying on the tradition to a fifth generation and close to a hundred years of hayfring making in our family!

Baking Day

I spent the day at my friend's (and baking mentor) house, preparing our entries for this year's State Fair Competition. Brent entered two different loaves (olive and peasant) and I entered my family's bread recipe in two categories: white bread and other (as a cinnamon swirl loaf). I also entered my Grandma's crazy cake recipe.

After baking all day (and gaming during the down time), I returned home to make several more loaves. Brent and I then delivered our entries on Sunday morning.

We'll find out how we did by Thursday!

Taste of the Fair

Dad and I ate our way through the Taste of the Fair fundraiser last week. It was a great way to get ready for the fair!

Beebe Lake National Night Out

Countdown to the nerd prom!

Hey everyone!

I am 24 hours away from attending the 40th Annual San Diego Comic Con! I'll be tweeting and blogging my way through the show the next 4 days. You can follow me on twitter or check out my new blog!

Thanks for your continued support in nurturing my inner nerd!

Fish!

Final Counts for this year's event:

• 16 dogs
• 61+ people

all camping on the same island!

Fish Fry and Corn on the Cob

More tired dogs

This is a sign of a good camp out.

Tired Dogs

Campfire Unplugged

Heading back to shore after fishing

More Campfire

Campfire Sing-Along

Tent City

Official Counts (at this point of the trip):
24 tents
35+ People
14 dogs

Mess Hall

Water World

Camping

Lake within a lake

Captain Mick at the helm

Leaving the marina after a pop and ice run.

Tired dog

Fetch

Luke is pooped.

Awesome morning on Cass Lake

Vacation is off to a great start...

We're 15 miles south of Brainerd on our way to Cass Lake and this is what we're driving through: The temp has suddenly dropped 20 degrees and these are the clouds we are surrounded by. Heavy rain.

No flying cows yet.

Max on gamenight

Game Night